BP Preparing Algae Diesel and Butanol Production

BP is gearing up to begin commercial production of grass-based ethanol in 2010, to be followed by biobutanol in 2012 or 2013.

BP is gearing up to begin commercial production of grass-based ethanol in 2010, in conjunction with Verenium, the latter of which already has a demonstration cellulosic ethanol facility up and running, according to Reuters.

In addition, BP is planning a 2012-2013 launch of commercial output of biobutanol at a future biofuel plant in the UK, Philip New, BP Biofuels CEO, said during a presentation at the World Ethanol 2009 conference. The wheat-based ethanol plant will be built with the help of British Sugar and chemicals group DuPont; it will begin output next year but then be retrofitted to switch to biobutanol output later on.

The plant would use wheat as feedstock, and would also offer similar emissions and cost levels as ethanol without the downsides inherent to corn-based production, according to the report. (Image credit: BP)